Public Statements

Issue Position: Seniors

Issue Position

"Hello, this is Scott Tipton, candidate for Congress. My opponent, Congressman John Salazar, has launched a vicious and desperate ad campaign that attempts to put words in my mouth on Social Security. I do not support privatizing or cutting Social Security. Never have. Here's the real problem. John Salazar voted for the failed stimulus, government run health care and budget-busting bailout. He raided the Social Security trust fund to pay for this reckless spending.

I want to shore up the Social Security system by cutting the reckless spending. I need your help. Join the Scott Tipton team and say no to John Salazar's desperate attack."

Social Security

If we are to continue to provide future generations with the promise of Social Security, we must engage in bipartisan debate about genuine reform. According to a report by the Social Security trustees, the Trust Fund will begin paying out more in benefits than it receives in revenue beginning in 2016. The current system is simply not sustainable by any measure.Before ensuring solvency for younger Americans, our first priority must be to protect those current beneficiaries and those who have planned their retirements around Social Security benefits. The road to reform does not include cutting benefits. If elected I will fight to preserve benefits for those currently in the system.

I am firmly opposed to privatizing Social Security.

Medicare

We have a great opportunity to stop Medicare fraud and abuse to further protect our seniors. The cost of the program has ballooned under the weight of an estimated $60 billion in fraud and abuse. According to conservative estimates, just by putting technology in place address at the front end of the claims process, we can save $65 billion over 10 years.

I was disappointed to see that a very reasonable Republican-sponsored bill that would have used technology used by credit card companies to tackle abuse was not included the Democrats' health care plan. If elected I pledge to support legislation that addresses Medicare fraud.